Week of February 24-28

2025

Provost’s Office: Spring Break is March 8-16

Spring Break 2025 will take place March 8-16. In accordance with the university’s official academic calendar, undergraduate and graduate faculty/instructors are reminded that they should not hold any class meetings, have assignments due, or administer exams during spring break or any other designated student holiday.

The week of Spring Break is important to the mental health and wellness of all Virginia Tech students and faculty/instructors should preserve these as non-instructional, assignment, or assessment days.

Division of IT: Guidance on ban of DeepSeek app, web access on state devices and networks

In accordance with Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s recent executive order, the use of the DeepSeek application on state-issued devices or state-maintained networks has been banned and access to these apps and publicly available websites is now restricted on all Virginia Tech and state-managed networks.

The new executive order will impact the university community in the following ways:

Access to DeepSeek.com and the DeepSeek app has been restricted on all Virginia Tech and state-managed networks, including eduroam, VT Open WiFi, wired, and VPN at Virginia Tech.
DeepSeek applications or sites may not be used on any university-issued device, regardless of what network is being used at the time. The DeepSeek App should be deleted from university-issued devices.

Researchers and others exploring Large Language Model (LLM) development should reach out to Advanced Research Computing for additional guidance on working with downloaded or containerized LLM models.

For more information including a list of FAQs, read this campus notice or visit the DeepSeek Restrictions webpage.

OSP: Workshop to offer faculty, staff ‘Introduction to Virginia Tech's Proposal Submission Process’

The Office of Sponsored Programs (OSP) invites research faculty and support staff to attend an “Introduction to Virginia Tech's Proposal Submission Process,” March 12 from 10:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. at Gilbert Place, room 3003 or virtually via Zoom.

Pre-award associates from OSP will provide important information about Virginia Tech’s process and requirements for funded research proposals including proposal components, budgets, submission methods and deadlines, award transfer, individuals’ roles and responsibilities, and the university’s online platform - Summit.

The workshop session is designed for a wide range of audiences including experienced researchers new to the university, new faculty members, post docs, and staff members who assist with proposals.

There is no cost to attend, but registration for in-person or Zoom participation is required. Attendees also have the option to email questions in advance.

For more information including links to workshop registration, visit the event webpage or contact OSP.

Reminder: Virginia Tech Faculty Mentoring Forum set for March 5

Faculty Affairs will host the 2025 Virginia Tech Faculty Mentoring Forum, March 5 from 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. at The Inn at Virginia Tech.

Designed as a day-long conference style event, Virginia Tech academic faculty and administrators will gather to share effective mentoring strategies, explore issues and challenges, and develop actionable solutions to support faculty professional growth.

The forum will be comprised of concurrent sessions focused on mentoring and mentorship led by university colleagues representing various disciplines and interests. Two keynote sessions will feature mentoring experts:

Dr. Karen Cardozo, founder, Leap Here Consulting and Lecturer - University of Massachusetts Amherst
Dr. Tracy Smith, director of Faculty Mentoring and Career Support - Appalachian State University

The forum is free to attend, but registration is required and seats are limited.

For more information on the forum, registration, and schedule of sessions, visit the event webpage or email Barbara Lockee, associate vice provost for Faculty Affairs.

ICYMI: Support for students, employees observing religious holidays

Many Virginia Tech students and employees engage in religious observances during the spring semester that may impact their workplace or classroom participation. As stated in the Faculty Handbook (section 9.6.2: Class Attendance), “in accordance with the Virginia Tech Principles of Community, faculty are encouraged to accommodate students when the observance of religious, cultural, ethnic, meaning- making, or faith-based beliefs conflict with academic requirements.”

The Provost’s Office acknowledges that every course section and class is different, and some are able to be adapted more easily than others. Recognizing that faculty are primarily responsible for making decisions on academic requirements for their courses, including modifying assignments and exam timelines, please do your best to support students and colleagues who are observing religious holidays and practices whenever it is academically feasible.

Additional Resources and Updates

Newsletter Spotlight: FOCUS on Research (Research and Innovation)

Please submit a Google form or email Provost Communications for comments or recommendations to improve the Weekly Communications Update or to share faculty, staff, and academic program personnel information.

Visit the provost’s website frequently for new and updated university information. All members of the campus community should also read their VT News daily email for further important updates, notices, and resources.